Data Pirates
by ideasCornucopia
Summary: At the age of 9 sweeps, everybody has to get a job. Doesn t matter if he/she lives in the outside colonies or in Skaia. If the person doesn t, he/she will be automatically been placed on the army. Karkat Vantas knew what he wanted to became. He wanted to became a Data Pirate.
1. Welcome to Lalonde Incorporated

"… And that´s why I want to become a clown!" Gamzee said with his ear to ear smile. The teacher clapped.

"Well done, Mr. Makara. Though I don't think being a clown includes stuff like ´doing wicked pirouettes with a kangaroo´ or ´swimming in lava rivers´" Mr. Hussie, the human that gives classes to your grade, told him. The essay was pretty good for Gam. He actually manages to make it with almost not a single spelling mistake.

"Now, is anybody up for reading their essay in front of the class?" Mr. Hussie asks and looks at the clock. "We will only have time for one more essay.

Many kids raised their hands. You look at the paper in your hands. It´s almost a full page, more than what the teacher told you to write, your brother Kankri helped you with grammar. The teacher scratches her chin thoughtfully. His eyes meet yours, he smiles slightly.

"What about you Karkat?" You gulp. You take your essay and pass to the front.

You take a deep breath. Everybody is looking at you; you will become the laughing stock when you finish reading it. But you don´t care, you truly want to become this.

"What I Want To Be When I Grow Up Essay." You said in a loud voice trying it to sound like your dad´s, high and intimidating. You realize you sound ridiculous so you just go back to your normal voice. "I want to be a data pirate. Data pirates are suppose to hack everything and they get pay for that! They work in big incorporations that need to prove their Anti-hacking systems. If the data pirates do pass through it, they will get pay more if they program a new system. Data pirates also are suppose to steal data. They get hired by companies to steal data of their rivals. The good thing about data pirates is that they get paid a lot, and they don't have to work so many hours. They usually can work in their house. The only thing they need to work is a computer and Wi-Fi! They also make codes for people who need certain programs. You don´t need to know too much stuff for being a data pirate. You just need to know how to use certain coding programs and informatics languages. I know a bit about programming and stuff. I may not be so good, but as my Granny Rosa says, ´if you practice a lot you will be not so bad at it´. Someday when I grow up, I will be a data pirate!"

You look at your classmates. They seem like if they wanted to burst out laughing.

"Come on, Vantas. Like if anybody would hire a mutant! Data pirates don't even exists, it´s just a nerd fantasy!" the blue blood kid mocks at you. You feel your heart sink.

"Don't be mean to Karkat, Aweanu! I think that if he wants to become a data pirate, then he will. Congratulations, son! Great essay, you get 1 extra point for not using anything profane this time!"

Your name is Karkat Vantas. You were 4 sweeps old when you decided you will become a data pirate. The time has gone by, and you are 100% sure, that will be your career.

* * *

"Name?" The drone asks you.

"Karkat Vantas." You said the most politely you can. Frontier drones are well known for being extremely aggressive when somebody wanted to enter to a new territory.

"Papers?" You hang him your passport and Identification, he reads them. "9 sweeps old. Originary of Prospit. Troll. Mutant: candy red blood…" You gulp.

About 1% of the total troll population is a mutant. Most of them hide in Prospit or Derse. Prospit and Derse are two colonies of Skaia. They don't have the same ruler as Skaia, so their rules and society is different, mutants are embraced still of culled. But, even in here it´s peculiar to find somebody with blood color out of the hemospectrum. You sigh. Your blood has given you nothing more than problems. But atleast you can walk by the street without the fear of being culled like in Skaia. That´s why you and your brother decided to stay in the outside colonies and don't go with your dad. You miss dad. It´s has been almost what? 4 sweeps since he left you. You are still mad at him.

"Reason of moving?"

"Work."

"Working as what?"

"Hacker apprentice, just got out of High school."

"Okay…" The takes your passport and stamped your passport. "You will now be allowed staying on Derse with Scholar Visa. When you finish being an apprentice you will have to go immediately with Population Drones to ask for the citizenship if you decide to stay on Derse. Otherwise, you will be taken to Prospit and not allowed return again. If we discover you aren´t here for studies, you will be sent to jail. Go with Population drones to give them this card after the company you are studying with has signed it."He hangs you your papers back. You put them in your backpack, grab your suitcase and continue walking.

When you get out of the ship-port the first thing you do is to call your family on a public phone.

You enter the number and wait them to answer.

"Dolorosa´s Daycare, We take care of your kids with love, who I am speaking with?" Your cousin tells you by the phone.

"Kan, it´s me, Karkat."

"Karkat! Did something happen? Did they allow you to enter to Derse?!" She asks worried.

"Yeah, I entered. Just called to say everything is alright. Heading to Lalonde Inc. in this moment."

"Oh. Well, how is Derse then? Is it true that the streets are dirty and it smells awful?"

For the first time since you arrived, you notice the view. It is amazing. You never had been in such a great city. Many people is passing by, trolls, humans, dersites. The great buildings erect majestically. In the sky, the endless void of space so similar and still different from that at home surrounds Derse. You can see it´s moon from here. It really is amazing.

"It´s nice I guess. Not so different from home just…" You try to describe it.

"Just purple?" Kanaya completes your sentence. "Well, dear, I truly hope you can actually fill your quadrants there." You blush slightly.

"Kanaya!" You snarl at her, she laughs.

"Just kidding, want to speak with the others?"

"No, it must be 10 am for you guys, you must be busy with the fucking kids and all."

"Well, Kankri is mad because one child said his lectures were boring, Porrim is trying to calm down a girl that got a bruise, and Granny Rosa is feeding the babies. I am just at the reception as usual… The place feels kind of empty without you, you know? Granny has been missing her little crab so much."

"I guess I miss you too. Never imagine how empty my life would feel without Kankri´s sermons and Porrim trying dresses on me."

"Porrim has been sad lately, without somebody to use as a mannequin." You smile.

"Oh shit!" You look at your time. "Bye, I have the interview in ten minutes. Tell Rosa I love her and Kankri to fuck himself!"

"Get it. Bye Karkat, call again when the interview finishes, okay?"

"Yeah, bye, take care." The line goes blank, you hang up the phone.

You go to the street and call for a taxi. One car parks in front of you and you enter.

"Where yo´wanna go sir?" The driver asks. You take the paper with the address from your pocket and hang it to him.

"There, how much would it be?"

"´Bout 30 boondollars, the street´s damn far." You look at your wallet, shit.

"Uhh… I only got 25."

"That´s ´kay then." He starts driving.

About fifteen minutes you arrive. You give the money to the guy and hurry the fuck of to the company, the address they gave you must be wrong. This place didn´t looked like a company. It´s dirty. Not a sign or anything. Just a door in a wall.

You look at the taxi, but it has already blast off.

You look at the paper.

_Lord of Time AV. # 7 Intersection with Rogue of Life St. Derse_

This can´t be. They tricked you. You traveled for five fucking hours in the shittiest stellar ship ever, waited a whole month for getting your passport and begged in your knees to Granny Rosa for this. A joke.

You can feel the rage build up in yourself. You will knock the door of this place, enter, and murder everybody.

You knock the door. Hard. You wait.

A small window on the door opens.

"The fuck are you, and what do you want?" A voice replies.

"My name is Karkat Vantas. I came here for an interview."

"Karkat Vantas, huh? Go away." The window closes. You groan.

You sit down on the place. What will you do now? Find another company to work? If you return your grandma will kill you. How you will explain this to the drones? You should have stayed working at the day care.

The door opens. A human is there. He uses really dark shades. His hair is cut in a bird, it´s blonde, almost white. He uses a shirt with a disc or something like one on it, black jeans and converses.

"Come on dude." He tells you. "This is Lalonde Incorporated."


	2. Hack that Computer

"This place looks more like a house full of computer, TVs, and trash in the floor like a goddamn company. " You huff.

"This is actually our house. Sollux manage to make it able to work in here. Anyway, enjoying Derse?" He responds you.

"Kind of, not so shitty I guess."

The human is showing you the installation. The first floor was full of computers. The second, in which you are now, has what seems a small kitchen and still lots of computers. You trip over one of the cables. Your face hits the hard floor and the only thing the blonde guy does is laugh at you.

"I can see the newie has arrive, Dave." A female and gentle voice explains. You look up at you. She is also a human; she is small and looks delicate and must be by your height. Dirty blonde hair combed perfectly. Her eyes are orchid and her lips smile at you. You stand up swiftly, wanting to make a good first impression, though it is obvious you didn´t.

She is wearing a stripped scarf. Has a purple headband that matches with her eyes and her simple but still quite beautiful dress, alike to a certain one Kanaya own.

"So, you must be Karkat Vantas." You nod. "Well, welcome to Lalonde Incorporated. My name is Rose Lalonde. This cool-kid wanna be you just met is Dave."

"Smooth one LL." Dave complains.

"So, you are the chief then?" You question.

"Oh no, I am not. The chief is my brother; he must be in his room. I may add that you are a bit late to the interview." You smile nervously. Yeah, you are late.

"Follow me."

She takes you to the third floor. It is a hallway with four different doors.

"The last one in the right." She points at a yellow door. You go toward it and gulp.

You wait your new chief isn´t so strict and intimidating.

The door is half open. You can listen to the not work related conversation two people are having.

"Calm down Rockth, thith ith jutht a game!"

"Yus, just a game, but still kicking yer ass!" A girl laughs and the familiar effect noises of a videogame happen.

You knock the door.

"Who ith it?"

"Uh. I am here for the interview."

"Ah, come in then!"

You enter. The room is really messy. There is a desk at the corner with two great monitors. Cables are on the floor. A pile of broken computer´s stuff is near the door. The walls are red and blue with posters of different videogames characters and bands you never heard before. There is a double recuperacoon and a closet. A big Tv in the wall with a game console and a bookshelf full of movies and videogame cases. In a couch there is a blonde girl really alike to Rose and a trolls with four horns and 3D glasses playing a videogame. The place has trash in the floor and empty bag of snacks as the rest of the house. Okay, you can now truly don't take your new job seriously.

"What wath your name again?" The lispy boys asks, not separating his eyes from the screen.

"It is Karkat Vantas…" You roll your eyes. He doesn´t even pays attention at you. "Where we would have the interview?"

"I thought be already had it via online. But, you thee that computer on the corner, the one in the dethk?"

"Yes I do. What about it?"

"Hack it."

"What?" The guy has to be kidding you. You came here for a job interview.

"You heard me, hack it. I checked that code you thent me. It wathn´t thoo bad, tho I won´t have to teach you that much about programming, but I thtill don´t know a lot about your hacking abilitieth. If you manage pathh through motht of the security thytem, you are in. If you manage to accethh to the documentth, you are now the new chief."

Hacking. So that´s all you need Well, it can´t be that hard.

"By the way, I´m Tholluckth." You really are trying hard to not laugh at his lisp.

"Im Roxy!" The girl says. She is pretty. Must be Sollux´s matesprit or something.

You put your back pack and suitcase on the floor and look at the computer. Wow this is a dinosaur. The computer at the reception of the daycare is more technological than this shit, and it is older than you.

"Where you turn it up?"

"Figure it out."

After five minutes, you finally found the turn up bottom. The screen comes in. Wow. Okay, this thing isn´t such a dinosaur. This will be harder than what you expected.

"How much time I have to hack this shit?"

"Until the sunrise. That´s about six hours."

You can do this.

* * *

Those were the most frustrating, annoying and fucking boring hours of your whole life, and you used to share a room with Kankri Vantas.

You couldn´t get to the documents. The person who coded this Firewall has to be the Messiah of the Waking World. Everybody else can go home, this guy has an apeshit fucking bananas ability at coding and deserves to be adored as a God and be the deity of thousands of religions.

You aren´t sure how far you made it into the system. Hacking seemed to be so easier when you used to enter to your brother´s social network accounts and put embarrassing photos of him.

Sollux and Roxy have fallen asleep cuddled on the sofa long time ago, the screen is still on. You sight.

You stand up and decide you need to pee. You go out of the room, you accidentally bump into Rose.

"Oh shit, sorry!" You look at her searching anything wrong. She gives you that sweet smile again.

"Don´t worry, I am okay."

"Hey... where are the bathrooms in this place?" You ask. She points to the door in front of Sollux´s room.

"Over there. Also, may I ask how was your interview?"

"They told me to try to hack that fucking computer, I swear I totally hate it enough to become kismesis!"

"Well, it´s Sollux´s computer. I´ve tried many times to hack it, Dave and Roxy had tried to. My brother is really talented at coding, that machine is the prove."

You look back at the room. You notice Sollux snoring, his hand placed over Roxy who is on top of him. You can´t stop yourself from noticing that the four horned trolls looks NOTHING like the girl in front of you. Not even a bit. Actually, if there ever existed two beings that had so many differences between one another, you are pretty damn sure Rose and Sollux are that.

"He is my adoptive brother if you want to know."

Did this girl reads mind or some shit?

"Okay..."

You walk to the bathroom.

When you get back, Sollux is checking the computer. You feel nervous for an instant. Who you are kidding? You are the worst living being at hacking, when they found out your misery at it they wont doubt to kick you back to the street and laugh their asses of.

"Well, well... You manage to go through a lot of the thystem. I wath waiting that you couldn´t even get a quarter of thith. You aren´t that bad I guethh." He smirks at you.

He doesn´t has the glasses on. His eyes are one blue and one red, pupiless. You have never seen somebody have eyes like this on Prospit. You heard your Granny mention once that certain yellow bloods have eyes like that, and if they did they and to be psionics. He has two pairs of fangs and his hair kind of looks like Wolverine. Aside from everything, he is kind of attractive.

"Congrathh, you are in. Welcome to the family."

Joy and happiness invade you.

_You actually made it! _

You got a job. Not any job. You are officially a **_data pirate._**

And that means that all the people that said you wouldn´t make it can get it in their asses and suck it.

You yawn. You are tried. You haven´t sleeped in what? Three days row, you think. Sollux notices this.

"Hey, Karkat, right?" You nod. "If you are thleepy, you can uthe the thofa to retht if you want. We don´t have any more roomth, tho you will have to share it with me anyway."

"You don´t mind?"

"Nah, It hath tho sideth. Thleep how long you want, we dont have work on Thundayth anyway."

He pokes Roxy. She doesn´t moves. He takes her in his arms.

"I´ll take her to her room. My moirail hath the bad habit of falling athleep on my room." And he goes out.

Why do you feel relief when he says ´moirail´?

You sit on the coach and take one of the clothing items on the floor and use it as a pillow, you fall asleep after some minutes.

Sollux enters and smiles. He covers gets a blanket from the closet and covers you with it.

That was maybe the best sleep you ever had.


End file.
